Nursing Home Wrongful Death

Milwaukee, Wisconsin Personal Injury Lawyer

It is never easy to cope with the death of a loved one. However, when your loved one dies due to the negligence of another, it is particularly difficult to handle. Feelings of guilt and anger often intensify the painful emotions that accompany the grieving process.

While no amount of money can bring back your loved one, it is still important to hold the negligent nursing home accountable for their actions in order to help prevent other families from enduring similar tragedies in the future. The attorneys at The Cochran Firm Wisconsin have helped many families who have been victims of nursing home abuse, and we will provide you with compassionate representation during your time of need.

Is Your Loved One Properly Cared For?

When you place your elderly loved one in a nursing home, you are trusting the facility to provide the high quality care your loved one deserves. Unfortunately, this standard of care is often not met. All too often, nursing home abuse and neglect jeopardizes the safety and well-being of residents.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, approximately 30% of nursing homes are cited for abuse or neglect every year. Even more alarming is the fact that there are roughly five unreported cases for every incident that is documented.

Common Causes of Nursing Home Wrongful Death

Proving that a nursing home is responsible for the death of your loved one is often very difficult. In many instances, negligent staff members will attempt to cover up their errors in order to avoid being reprimanded for their actions. You will need the assistance of an experienced nursing home abuse attorney who can spot the signs of abuse and neglect before the evidence is concealed by dishonest employees.

Common causes of nursing home wrongful death include:

• Bed sores
• Falls
• Malnutrition and dehydration
• Wandering or leaving the premises
• Excessive or improper use of chemical and physical restraints
• Medication errors

The Decision to Have an Autopsy

If you believe your loved one was a victim of nursing home wrongful death, you should consult an attorney immediately to determine whether you need to order an autopsy. In many nursing home wrongful death claims, the findings of an autopsy become crucial to the success of your case. However, there are other situations where an autopsy may prove to be an unnecessary expense and can even damage your case if performed incorrectly. Our attorneys will analyze the unique circumstances surrounding your loved one’s death to determine if an autopsy is necessary.

The legal teams employed by nursing homes and their insurance companies will aggressively defend charges of abuse and neglect. If your loved one suffered from serious medical conditions, these lawyers will try to claim that the death was the result of natural causes.

By having an autopsy performed, you can gain considerable insight into the factors that directly caused the death of your loved one. If the autopsy does not find that your loved one’s death was caused by a medical condition, then there may be reason to suspect abuse or neglect. The information provided by an autopsy will give you a much better idea of how to best proceed with your case.

If you believe your loved one was a victim of nursing home wrongful death, please contact the experienced nursing home abuse attorneys at The Cochran Firm Wisconsin today to schedule your free initial consultation. We serve clients in Milwaukee and the entire state of Wisconsin.